This is what I think. There has got to be a way of taking it out, and really it shouldn't be all that complicated. I was surprised the tech at the dealership (and at Toyota) couldn't answer this.

I tried navigating through the Toyota website to find a way to ask the question via email, but I wasn't able to figure out how/where to ask.

 

The web site you refer to seems to have nothing but excellent things to say about the Sharp units. I agree there are a lot of crap purifiers out there, but I've not actually heard anything bad about the PC units specifically, only fear of the unknown. If you are committed to avoiding the plasmacluster at all costs, this isn't the car for you. If you really want a TCH, but are worried about the in cabin experience, the solution is simple, buy a small home plasmacluster unit for a couple hundred bucks and see how it goes before you risk 30,000 bucks on the car...

 

Droid, the 116+ user comments are NOT saying excellent things about ozone producing air purifiers. The commentary on ozone is something people very much need to be aware of because companies had spent hundreds of millions of dollars to try to hide or minimize this issue.

http://www.epinions.com/content_1445...0/show_~allcom

And honestly, I can't buy a PC and try it at home. It's already established that ionizers present a risk - and the risk is too great to take a chance on. (Some people only get wheezy when they have an asthma attack. More serious asthma sufferers routinely end up in the emergency room... or dead. 5,000 people die in the US each year from asthma.) A full blown attack is terrifying.

The really frustrating thing here is that there isn't really another hybrid option that appeals to us. The smaller cars like the Prius are too small, and the SUVS and Accord don't get the milleage of the Camry Hybrid.

For us, the challenge is simply to see if we can get the ionizer disconnected. If we can't - we need to make a decission to not buy the car or to NEVER use the AC/heater. (And that is IF the ionizer only works when the AC/heater is on. It may work all the time... which fully rules out the car if we can't get it removed.)

 

Look into natural gas conversion, sounds like a better option for you than this car. I believe NG cars are the best choice for air quality and that seems to be a very important part of your purchase decision.

The PC technology obviously isn't your cup of tea, fair enough. I merely disagree with lumping it into one generic category, like lumping in a TCH with a Hummer because they both use internal combustion engines... Yes, they both do, but they are different. Maybe the same applies to the PC.

There is a famous report widely distributed by a well known automotive consultant that will tell you that a Hummer is more energy efficient than a Prius based on manufacturing methods and therefore ultimately better for the environment. That might be your solution too, depending on what you read and what you believe.

 

What are the best options to look at?

Our concerns are going to be size and safety of the vehicle. (I was in a car accident a few years ago, so safety in a crash test is a deciding factor.) We also want high mileage and low greenhouse emissions.

If the Honda Accord Hybrid was a 4 cylinder vehicle, it would be an option, but at the low mileage of the 6 cylinder - it isn't attractive.

I'm a bit of a newbie in even looking at the different vehicles that are out there and haven't even seen any yet that are natural gas.

Does anybody know how the Nissan Altima Hybrid compares to the Camry? It's the only one we haven't test driven yet. Does it have more leg room than the Prius? (Some of the other cars we have seen are nice, but they are out of our price range.)

 

mikieboyblue — I did check the circuit diagram from the Repair Manual before commenting. There is no separate fuse for the Plasmacluster itself. You would have to pull the air-conditioner's #2 fuse to disable it — not a practical proposition! See the attached pages AC-150to152.pdf for the relevant part of the wiring diagram.

Marianne — Unfortunately, the Plasmacluster is hidden in the depths behind the dash. You have to dismantle most of the dashboard to get at it, according to the Repair Manual. It can be done, and it's possible that you could reach in and disconnect it without having to do all this disassembly, if you knew exactly what you were doing, but it's not going to be simple. See the attached pages AC-270to277.pdf and AC-278to282.pdf for Plasmacluster removal details.

Stan

 

SPL... thank you so much for your thoughtful and thorough response.

It is HUGELY disappointing to realize that in all practicality this can't be removed, but it is very good to have an answer to the question. (I feel a little bit like I've been kicked by a horse. The Camry Hybrid was a great choice for us.)

And Droid, I agree with your point that not all technologies are the same. The biggest issue for me, though, isn't the ozone or ozone levels - it's the charged particles. It's a concern that I can't dismiss or circumvent at any level because it is the operation mode of the device.

I really appreciate the information I've been able to get here. For now, it's back to the drawing board as we try to select a green vehicle that will work for us.

Thank you all!

 

Marianne — I think that you should try to make a measurement in a 2007 Camry to see whether the level of charged particles in the air is in fact significantly affected by the Plasmacluster. It's possible that you may be worrying about a non-problem. Also, see whether your Toyota dealer can disconnect the Plasmacluster without dismantling the car. Show him the relevant pages, and get the Service Manager to find out from his technicians. They are the ones who know! Then decide whether you really need to rule out the Camry Hybrid. It would indeed be a pity to do so if there's a problem which has a feasible solution.

Stan

 

Stan,

Thank you. I'm going to continue to pursue the 'disconnection' possiblity, but if it can't be disconnected it absolutely rules out the Camry Hybrid for us. Between the concerns about ozone production and charged particles - ionizers are something we just can't include in our environment. I recognize that the device may be small and 'low' in emitting ozone and charged particles, but any increase, even small, presents and increased risk of an asthma attack. It's not something I could ever chance.

I am hoping Toyota's techs will come back to me and say this can be taken out once its been looked at. The national Toyota office said there is a tech support line our local techs can call to try to figure the whole thing out.

 

SPL -- sorry I read the fuse part wrong...darn VNC!

Marianne -- if you find out let us know...I'm curious as well!